text:
13 'Paul Heyman Guys'
So, what does it take to be a "Paul Heyman Guy"? Every day, I get calls, emails and tweets from people who want to know how to join the select group of those who can genuinely be called "Paul Heyman Guys."
Sorry to tell you, but there's no application. No set criterion. No crash course to take. A "Paul Heyman Guy" is someone on whom I've focused all my energies and championed their cause and for whom I've fought to the point of my own self-detriment.
Watch videos of Paul Heyman with his "Guys"
I am, admittedly, even to this day, a great admirer of those who possess the talent to change this industry. I am, at heart, a fan. And as a fan, my heart beats faster when I'm in the presence of greatness. Not just a great wrestler. Not just a great entertainer. Not just a great personality. True, through-and-through greatness — the kind that must be developed, nurtured, crafted and then turned loose onto the WWE Universe.
Ever since CM Punk delivered his first "pipe bomb" two years ago and alerted the world to the behind-the-scenes term "Paul Heyman Guy," many have wondered "well, just who are these rare individuals?" For the very first time, let's examine that list.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman. And these are my "Guys"!
CM Punk
The list starts with the man who popularized the term. The man who was the reigning, defending WWE Champion for 434 consecutive days. The Best in the World. CM Punk.
Watch CM Punk drop a "pipe bomb" and call himself "a Paul Heyman Guy"
In 2005, CM Punk was the hottest free agent in the world, having wrestled all across the globe, most notably for the Ring of Honor organization. He was signed by WWE, to be blunt, simply because he had great buzz. No one producing Raw or SmackDown knew what to do with this extraordinary talent who was determined to become recognized as The Best in the World. Yes, even then, Punk's ambition was to be No. 1. He never imagined anything less for himself.
Unfortunately, no one else in WWE shared that vision. You'll be reading that sentence, and similar ones to it, a lot today.
Punk was sent to WWE's developmental organization, which at the time was in Louisville, Ky., and I was producing the television show. There was no doubt in my mind I had just been handed a future WrestleMania main eventer, and I was astounded at the fact that no one in in the WWE management agreed with my assessment. I fought for CM Punk because I believed in CM Punk both personally and professionally, and even after I left WWE in December 2006 (and some would say I martyred myself at the altar in my belief of CM Punk's greatness), we remained very tight because our friendship transcended WWE and the entire industry.
A lot of people try to categorize the nature of my relationship with CM Punk. I'm here as a friend, a support staff, a lobbyist for CM Punk to receive the respect that he has earned and deserves. If for no other reason than because he was the reigning, defending WWE Champion for 434 consecutive days. CM Punk has earned the distinction of being known as The Best in the World. I'm here to ensure he is recognized as such, as I'm going to assist him in that goal, with or without anyone's blessing.
If you must know why, I'm happy to enlighten you. It's because, with all my heart and soul, I'm a "CM Punk Guy!"
Watch Heyman revealed as Punk's driver
Brock Lesnar
I know everyone is looking for a sinister conspiracy that Brock and I must have about taking over the WWE Universe, but the truth of the matter is that (and as unpopular as this is for me to say and you to read), we're just the best of friends. Period.
Sorry, folks. I know how envious you all must be of the fact I am included in the inner circle of a truly reclusive individual, but I can proudly state with no fear of contradiction, I'm Brock Lesnar's confidante.
Watch Brock's destructive WWE debut with Heyman by his side
When Brock debuted in WWE in 2002, I was both his on-air "agent" (I just can't bring myself to use the old school term "manager") and his behind-the-scenes producer. In working so closely with each other, we found that despite our different backgrounds, this once-in-a-lifetime athlete who grew up on a dairy farm in Webster, S.D., had an awful lot in common with the smart aleck son of a Jewish personal injury attorney from New York. As ambitious as the two of us were (both individually and together), our priorities were exactly the same. No matter what, our children came first.
Based on that common mindset, Brock and I forged a friendship that lasted even after we both were gone from WWE, and through Brock's legendary run in UFC. We even wrote a book together about his life and enjoy, to this day, a friendship that transcends the WWE Universe.
I recently said I've been riding Brock Lesnar's coattails for 10 years. You can judge for yourself whether I was kidding. Either way, I can honestly tell you it's been one hell of a ride!
Print your own official photo of Brock & Heyman from 2002 | Watch Heyman return to WWE as Lesnar's adviser
Big Show
In 2002, Big Show's career had hit rock bottom. Instead of being a dominant, 7-foot tall, 500-pound giant, he had fallen into such a rut that he was the weekly whipping boy and laughingstock for The nWo on Monday Night Raw. SmackDown needed someone to present a challenge to Brock Lesnar.
"The Next Big Thing" was unbeatable, and much like when Mike Tyson was crushing people inside of one round, the public didn't believe anyone could stand up to Brock.
Enter Big Show.
Presented with a "last chance at greatness," this real-life giant took advantage of the opportunity to re-invent himself and he never looked back. At Survivor Series 2002, Big Show was crowned the brand-new WWE Champion when he became the first man ever to defeat Brock Lesnar. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. There he was, this mass of humanity, standing in the middle of the ring at The World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, having conquered the ultimate conqueror.
Watch Heyman turn on Lesnar to help Big Show win the WWE Championship
I didn't discover Big Show. I didn't debut him. I didn't oversee his development. But I was also in the right place, at the right time, and I was there for his rebirth as a top-tier WWE Superstar. If for no other reason besides that, our list features many Superstars, but only one giant. And he's a "Paul Heyman Guy"!
Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam is a most unique individual, and that's the type of personality I like to seek out when directing my focus on a particular talent in this industry. In the 1990s, both Mr. McMahon and Ted Turner had their own visions of what a top star in professional wrestling would be, and Rob Van Dam simply didn't fit the mold.
Watch RVD win the WWE Title as Heyman counts the pinfall
While they saw an unorthodox athlete whose style could not be defined (and therefore, according to the mindset of the time, could not be showcased), I saw an unparalleled performer in Rob Van Dam. I must admit, the narrow-mindedness of the big honchos in sports-entertainment during the Monday Night War was a blessing for ECW, because it enabled us (and yes, I'll say the dreaded egotistical word, "ME") to appear as RVD's godsend.
No one in WWE or WCW would have taken the time to develop his persona, let alone devoted the energies necessary to help Rob himself find that persona. Since WWE and WCW were so obsessed with putting their own personal stamp on everyone that appeared on their TV shows, I knew the key to developing RVD was to simply let Rob Van Dam ... be Rob Van Dam!
The popularity of RVD was always based on the fact the audience knew they were getting someone real. Someone genuine. Someone who was open with his audience, true to his word, and was unabashedly full of himself ... and with good reason. In a Universe filled with unique personalities, Rob Van Dam was truly "one of a kind!"
Watch Heyman present Van Dam with the ECW Championship
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
The right guy in the right place at the right time, and I get all the credit for it. Wow. If you listen to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and I always do, it makes me want to be a "Paul Heyman Guy." I managed Steve during our Dangerous Alliance days in WCW in 1991-'92, and even wrote an article for the WCW Magazine back then proclaiming Steve was going to be the biggest star in the industry by the end of the decade. I didn't have a crystal ball. I wasn't a modern-day Nostradamus. It didn't even point to me being some brilliant assessor of talent. Where all others were blind, I was fortunate to simply see!
Watch Paul E. Dangerously form The Dangerous Alliance with Steve Austin
When Steve came to ECW, his head was so filled with WCW's backward mentality, he couldn't think straight. I know Steve loves to give me credit for helping him "find 'Stone Cold' within himself," but the fact is Steve was going to become the biggest star in pro wrestling history no matter what. All he needed was just one moment in time to prove it to every wrestling fan, everybody in upper management, and (most importantly) to himself. I just happened to be the one that was blessed enough to afford him the opportunity to find himself. The wildest thing about it is that he found himself while on camera.
Watch Steve Austin vent his frustrations in ECW | Watch Austin tell the ECW fans what's on his mind
If you look in Steve's eyes during those legendary interviews in ECW, you noticed that somewhere during those interviews, he himself realized that he was indeed going to become The Best in the World. Hey, that sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? "Oh hell yeah!"
Like most "Paul Heyman Guys," Tazz was an extraordinary talent that no one would take the time to believe in. The pro wrestling landscape in the mid-1990s was "the land of the giants," and if a performer wasn't 6-feet tall, 260-plus pounds, no executive would believe the wrestler could be a main eventer. Tazz was 5-foot-8, 248 pounds. He could barely get anyone in WWE or WCW to take his phone call.
The mid-1990s saw the emergence of mixed martial arts as a sport, and the concept of a 175-pound athlete choking out a 300-pound opponent came into vogue. We in ECW realized early on that while Tazz's physical stature was not that of a giant, his personality surely was. As a main eventer, Tazz could be (and certainly was) a serious box-office attraction.
Tazz was also one of the most believable talkers in the industry at the time, and when he openly challenged the champions from any other organization to bring their tail to ECW, where he'd happily (and easily) choke them out, people believed he could do just that.
Watch Tazz face off with Sabu in ECW
I used to get phone calls at all hours of the night from people in WWE and WCW (and even from some in Japan) saying "You can't have this guy make grandstand challenges against our champion!" It wasn't so much that ECW's in-house tough guy was calling out their top dogs. It was the fact our in-house tough guy was 5-foot-8, 248 pounds.
"Feel free to send your guy, and he can fight my guy," I'd tell 'em. That usually got the response of either a belly chuckle or a dial tone. It didn't matter to me. I knew what I had in Tazz. I had pro wrestling's first tap out artist, a no holds barred fighter who everyone believed was everything he (and ECW) said he was.
When Tazz made his debut at the 2000 Royal Rumble in Madison Square Garden, he got one of the greatest reactions for a debuting Superstar in WWE history. To many, that was a demonstration of the popularity of ECW, and the believability of Tazz.
Watch Tazz speak candidly about Paul Heyman | Watch Tazz's WWE debut in Madison Square Garden
I hate to say "I told you so." But ... I told you so!
The Miz
In 2006, The Miz was a frustrated, teenybopper, goody two-shoes in one of WWE's developmental systems in Atlanta, a Tough Enough runner-up designed to lure in the MTV generation. Someone take me out of my misery now. Actually, someone really needed to take Miz out of his misery. And that someone is (I bet you can guess where this is going) ... ME! If you guessed that correctly, good for you. What do you want, credit or something?
I plucked The Miz out of the Atlanta developmental system and brought him to OVW in Louisville, Ky., where I was producing the TV show which starred, of course, The Best in the World, CM Punk. It was such a no-brainer. Miz had a naturally acerbic, uber-charismatic personality that was just aching to be unleashed. If you're looking for me to say "I taught Mike Mizanin how to be The Miz," then you still don't get it, do you? I turned the camera on this gifted young man and told him to just be himself. And underneath all the layers of smiley 8x10s, shaking hands and kissing babies laid an uninhibited "Miz-erable" human being who didn't really seek adulation, just success.
Watch The Miz's rare debut in Ohio Valley Wrestling
It didn't take Mike Mizanin long to find The Miz, and it won't take the next Superstar I get my hooks into any length of time to find his true calling, his real self and his inner main eventer. They may not know it yet, but I have my eye on the future of WWE. I can sense things in people others don't realize, see things in Superstars they themselves can't grasp quite just yet. That's the magic of what I do. Because whether you like this fact, whether you believe it to be true or just a grandiose statement, whether you think this is hype, hyperbole or Heyman:
My name is Paul Heyman, and there are plenty of "Paul Heyman Guys" out there in WWE right now ... even if some of them don't know it yet!
Mick Foley
Mick Foley came to ECW as part of a settlement when I filed a lawsuit against WCW and never really left. As soon as Cactus Jack appeared before the hardcore audience in The Land of Extreme, he knew in his heart he was home. But all good things must come to an end, and after a two-year run as an iconic hero in the original incarnation of ECW, Mick was starting to just waste his time. He was just coasting, at an A-level, but coasting nonetheless. Mick wasn't breaking any new ground. He wasn't innovating any new style. He wasn't doing anything revolutionary. For most, that's not a problem. Do the job the audience expects from you, and everyone goes home happy.
Watch Heyman speak about Cactus Jack and Foley's response
But Mick Foley had so much more to offer. There was a brilliant, multilayered, bizarre, complex, riveting persona living inside Foley that could change the way interviews were shot, produced and presented on a global basis. Not just in pro wrestling or sports-entertainment, but Mick was so talented, his interviews could open the eyes of television producers and executives worldwide.
I exaggerate not! Just watch footage of Mick Foley delivering the anti-hardcore interviews in ECW. It's mesmerizing. No one had ever done anything like it before. And, I dare say, all others who have tried to equal or replicate it have failed miserably by comparison.
Watch the infamous "Cane Dewey" interview | Watch Cactus Jack's final ECW match
Here comes the best part: Mick gives me a ton of credit for it all. He did so in his first book, and he even did so last week on Monday Night Raw. And yet, with all humility, I must candidly admit, I beg to differ. If a head coach in football has a quarterback that can throw the ball into the end zone every single time you place the ball in that quarterback's hands, is that head coach a genius? Or a "mad scientist"? Or a great producer? No, that coach just knows the right guy who can score touchdowns at will. I turned the camera on Foley, lit him from underneath to give him a more horror movie–like appearance, gave him a concept as to what the message would be and then sat back and watched a master create his own art.
I don't deserve credit for the emergence of Mick Foley as one of the single most brilliant interview stars in the history of this industry. I'm the head coach who had a quarterback who could score touchdowns every time I placed the ball in his hands.
All I did was give him the ball.
Rey Mysterio
In 1995, the landscape of sports-entertainment in the United States was dramatically different. No one of Rey Mysterio's size or aerial ability had ever been featured in this country. The highest flier Americans had seen up until that point was "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, and the most famous luchador was Mil Mascaras, who really never left his feet except for a bodypress off the top rope.
When ECW suffered a dramatic talent raid at the hands of WCW, many thought it could have been the death of our company. Our backs were against the wall. How could Extreme Championship Wrestling come back from a devastating blow? I knew our only hope was to come out blasting and make the next major show even better than anything anyone had ever seen before. We literally had to show the world we were still the innovators of new styles. Groundbreaking concepts were used on TV, unmatched ferocity was presented on the mic and the most cutting-edge style was presented in the ring.
Watch Rey vs. Psicosis in ECW: Match 1, Match 2, Match 3
I reached out to Konnan in Mexico, and without hesitation, he sent Rey Mysterio and Psicosis to South Philly for the next ECW Arena show. Konnan guaranteed me their matches would not only be state of the art, but also that nothing could match Rey vs. Psicosis in the United States. The ECW audience, which lived by the philosophy of "accentuate the strengths and hide the weaknesses," never paid attention to the fact that Rey Mysterio wasn't a bodybuilder, or 6-feet tall, or 300 pounds. The ECW audience saw a magnificent performer the likes of which the United States had never seen. Mysterio not only lived up to my expectations, but he also single-handedly opened up the U.S. market to the concept of cruiserweights. And he turned one of ECW's darkest hours into one of our greatest triumphs. Gracias, "Paul Heyman tipo"!
"Ravishing" Rick Rude
In fall 1991, WCW was reeling from the loss of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Someone had to fill the void. A new top star was needed. So the Turner-owned organization made a big move. They signed former WWE Intercontinental Champion "Ravishing" Rick Rude.
At the same time, I had one of my many fallings-out with WCW management, and was coming back (common theme: right place, right time) as the CEO of The Dangerous Alliance. Even back then, I avoided the term "manager." The group was a blatant attempt to one-up the past, as a new Four Horsemen–style group, this time revolving around the top star (Rude) and his maniacal sidekick (that would be me, Paul E. Dangerously).
Our pairing had all the makings for a perfect storm: A company in a chaotic free-fall following the unpopular loss of its top star; a remarkable talent with something to prove and a chip on each shoulder; and a young upstart, frustrated with the system, looking to usher in a new era of reality-based interviews and progressive in-ring style.
Rude was obsessed with being the very best in every way. He knew he was at the peak of his ability to exploit his enormous physical gifts, and I can't say I've ever met a smarter person inside the ring until CM Punk walked through the doors in 2005. Rude was a masterful main eventer. I often found myself just staring in disbelief at how easily he could control the crowd, manipulate emotions and make people clamor for Sting or Ricky Steamboat to avenge the dastardly deeds of The Dangerous Alliance. When you consider the amazing compilation of talent under my umbrella in 1991 and '92 (the group also included Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko and Madusa), the fact Rick Rude is still so prevalent in my memories of that era speaks volumes.
Watch Heyman get involved in the wild conclusion of Rick Rude vs. Sting
Rude's career and his life were both cut short. I don't think he ever achieved all he set out to do in either WCW or WWE (where he was managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan). But during that brief but memorable run together in WCW, I witnessed true greatness. I don't think Rude was ever better than when he was U.S. Champion during his tenure in The Dangerous Alliance. I was honored to be able to call him a "Paul Heyman Guy." After all, he was "simply ravishing!"
Bam Bam Bigelow
Scott Charles Bigelow was an amateur wrestler, bouncer and bounty hunter from Asbury Park, N.J., who either had to find employment quickly or spend the rest of his adult life in jail.
I was 18 years old and happened to be taking photographs at The Monster Factory wrestling school in New Jersey on Bigelow's second day as a student. He was 6-foot-3, 390 pounds, already tattooing his head, and his ability in the ring was freakish. Bigelow was akin to a child who can listen to Mozart and then walk up to a piano and effortlessly play the symphony he just heard. The trainers would show Bigelow a sequence of moves, and he could immediately get into the ring and duplicate what he had witnessed. There can't possibly be more than a handful of people that have ever inhabited this planet that were more naturally inclined to become a professional wrestler than Bam Bam Bigelow.
Watch Bam Bam Bigelow win the ECW Title | Watch Bigelow and Tazz crash through the ring
As a photographer, I would travel up and down the east coast to wrestling matches with Bigelow, who paid his wrestling school tuition by working on a ring crew with some of the other students from The Monster Factory. When I started producing and promoting Friday night events in 1985 at the world's most famous nightclub, Studio 54 in New York City, I desperately wanted to produce a wrestling event at the end of the summer. So I cut a deal with Jim Crockett Promotions to feature Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes on a press-filled night in midtown Manhattan that would also feature the professional wrestling debut of Bam Bam Bigelow. I had Bigelow fight four opponents, and he mopped the floor with all four of them.
Print the rare flyer for Bigelow's debut | Visit Bam Bam Bigelow's Alumni profile
While many in the industry make their debut in developmental areas or high school gyms or VFW halls, Bam Bam Bigelow made his debut in an event that got covered by USA Today, The New York Times, The Daily News and The New York Post and talked about on TBS by Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes. Not a bad way to kick off a career, but what else would you expect from a "Paul Heyman Guy"?
The Public Enemy
When I took over producing ECW, I knew the first featured act had to present the embodiment of the Extreme vision to the audience. "Flyboy" Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge were the two least likely performers ever to be presented as hoodies. They were the most mismatched pair behind the scenes you could ever imagine, and for every wrong reason in the world, that's what made them so great.
Neither Rocco Rock nor Johnny Grunge had ever been exposed to a significant wrestling audience before I debuted them as The Public Enemy, so when we blasted them out during the opening match ECW UltraClash on Sept. 18th, 1993, the ECW Arena, the audience had to accept them as the personas we were presenting because they never saw them in any other light.
Watch The Public Enemy make their debut at the ECW Arena
When people look back at the early days of ECW, it's clear the diversity of personalities was one of the things that grabbed so many people's attention, and helped the company grow into a global phenomenon inside the remainder of the decade. Make no mistake about it, though. The early days of ECW were based on the emergence of Shane Douglas as our "Franchise" player, the phenomenon known as Sabu, the unique announcing of Joey Styles and the poster boys for Extreme, "Flyboy" Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge, The Public Enemy.
Joey Styles
Joey Styles was someone with as much product knowledge as any other announcer out there, an enthusiasm that could not be touched and a desire to fulfill his dream of being a pro wrestling announcer. Yet Joey did not have one, single, solitary opportunity to even sink or swim, do or die on his own, get the one shot to prove himself worthy. The first day I met Joey, he told me he wanted to be a play-by-play announcer, and I thought the day he graduated college someone would immediately sign him up. And yet, no one would give this brilliant young man a chance. It's a common theme among "Paul Heyman Guys."
Watch Heyman and Joey during ECW's early days
Joey's biggest night was April 13, 1997. It was ECW's first pay-per-view, and you have to understand the television industry was much different back then. UFC couldn't get cleared, and was on the verge of extinction. Only WWE and WCW had the power to present live pay-per-view events. And much like the pro wrestling business itself, pay-per-view was a closed-door industry. ECW couldn't get in.
But through a radical campaign initiated by ECW fans, we got cleared to go live on pay-per-view on that fateful Sunday night. And since the PPV companies thought they were doing us a favor, they figured they would dictate some terms. Small terms, nothing substantial. Things like "You'll have a color commentator with Joey."
"Or else you won't air on pay-per-view!"
They weren't kidding. The pay–per-view companies wanted to control the product from the get-go, and I was too much a rebel leader to bend. "Then don't air us. When we go live (an hour later than everyone else, by the way), Joey Styles is hosting this show. All by himself. With no one else. It's what our fans want, it's what they expect and it's what Joey has earned."
Read the inside story of ECW Barely Legal
In typical ECW "miracle" fashion, the generator blew a few moments after we went off the air. But we had already signed off. ECW's first pay-per-view was a reality. The emotion in the back was something I have yet to find the words to convey or to describe. Yet of all the tears being shed, all the hugs being given, all the vows of "I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life," the thing I remember most was a weeping, uncontrollably sobbing Joey Styles making it to the top stage (from where I was producing the show) and hugging me with every bit of strength in his body. He did it. He pulled it off. And he did so, by the way, brilliantly.
I'll never forget that moment (you knew this was coming, right?) for the rest of my life!
WWE Shows Latest Results
Raw results, Feb. 19, 2024: Jimmy Uso costs his brother Jey the Intercontinental Championship
Full ResultsWWE NXT results, Feb. 20, 2024: Lyra Valkyria retains the NXT Women's Championship against Lash Legend after injury to Shotzi
Full Results


text:
Create your own custom scuba slate or underwater info card (fish slates etc.) with our special online designer.
Choose from a range of slate sizes and possible configurations, load up your own artwork or use our online design tools, and then see exactly how the slate will look before you buy.
We full colour print your design on both sides and have no minimum order quantity. Small orders are processed within 3 days.
Unique to DiveLogs
Only available at DiveLogs, our slate designer lets you create custom scuba slates, info cards, and wet note systems.
Our slate designer covers the custom design and production of three different kinds of products:
Scuba Slates (with and without pencils) for waterproof writing whether on land or below the surface.
Info Cards - a thin, flexible, and tough way to take waterproof information with you wherever you go.
And Wet Notes - our new patent pending quick change wet note system can be customised with bespoke backing slates and covers.
Simple and Intuitive
Our online designer lets you craft your perfect slate design and see exactly how it will look before we make.
We've taken our visual scubtag designer and extended it's capabilities to give you more control over the design of your perfect scuba slate.
Add text, images, boxes, sequential numbers. Control colours and fonts, choose slate sizes, rotate and flip the design. Drag stuff around, zoom in and out.
Have an existing design? Add a PDF page directly into the slate and drag it and size it to meet your needs.
Anything you do is instantly reflected in the scuba slate design previews.
We use the same underlying engine that generates your previews to create the rips that go to our specialist UV printers.
Choice and more choice
We have a range of proven slate sizes and layout configurations to choose from.
After choosing the kind of slate and size your opportunities to customise have just started.
Choose from a range of hole and webbing slot and pencil configurations, then rotate and flip the first side to suit your use and needs. Landscape, left handed writing, lanyard attachment from the bottom, no lanyards...
Fast, High Quality Production
We take 3 days to print and pack your slate or card design.
All custom slates are laser cut from tough exterior grade thick plastic that comes with a lovely matt writing surface.
All custom cards are die cut from tough but very flexible plastic that comes with a gloss surface (these are not for writing on).
Each one is printed with tough but flexible waterproof UV cured inks that are vibrant and really make your design look great.
We have no minimum order quantity and small orders are processed within our typical 3 day turnaround for custom bespoke work.
Please contact us if you are going to place a larger order to check current processing times, but as a guide: an order of 50 slates or cards would usually take 3-4 days.
Not Just for Scuba Divers
Our fully waterproof writing and information solutions have real life uses on dry land!
First responders, safety workers, researchers, field workers, swimming instructors.
If you need a waterproof solution for your note taking or reference information, our slates and info cards could meet your needs.
Or take a look at our quick change wet notes system - a unique product we developed that combines all the practicalities of a slate with the convenience of paper and the ability to change your writing solution from dive to dive or job to job.
We even have a special wet notes section in the slate designer where you can create a truly unique and personalised wet notes binder system.
Bulk Buy Discounts
All custom slate, card, and wet note designs have an automatic bulk buy discount system in the shopping cart.
We have a minimum order quantity of one - never has it been easier or more cost effective to get a custom dive slate.
But, buy larger quantities of the same design and the shopping cart will calculate the discounted price automatically.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tintinnids construct their loricas out of proteins and polysaccharides, and some species attach matter from their surroundings. There's a few interesting stories involving them, but I still need to finish the post on that. Tintinnids are only very distantly related to Folliculinids, and both evolved their loricae independently from each other. Several other lineages of ciliates also construct tests, but Tintinnids and Folliculinids are the most prominent ones. And have cool names.
Two midterms this week, midterm and lab exam the week after, writing my GREs in three weeks, blankly staring at grad school apps and trying to find a way to justify my existence in 500 words or less for the personal statements (You must be so jealous of me, I know). Also need to finish a bunch of stuff for work – was too distracted this past week.
Blogging-wise, I'm hosting the upcoming MolBiol Carnival; you should submit early and often so that I don't have to fake
Oh, and I will finish Part III of In Defense of Constructive Neutral Evolution as soon as I can get around to it. Apparently some of you actually do care, so I must return the favour =D
Not enough time in the day to get everything done. Damn you, physics! (I'd imagine that slowing down Earth's revolutions would have drastic side effects wiping out all cumbersome macroscopic life in an instant. Prokaryotes, and possibly even unicellular protists, wouldn't mind much though).


text:
But do you remember David Cameron's claim that his government would be the most transparent ever?
Isn't it interesting, then, that the independent Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has found a way to compile information on the effects of tax, social security and other spending changes on disabled people, after the government repeatedly claimed it could not be done?
It seems Mr Cameron has something to hide, after all.
We already have a taste of what we can expect, courtesy of our friends in Scotland, who commissioned the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University to study the relationship between deprivation and financial loss caused by "welfare reform".
The study shows that more than £1.6 billion a year will be removed from the Scottish economy, with the biggest losses based in changes to incapacity benefits. The Scottish average loss, per adult of working age, is £460 per year (compared with a British average of £470) but the hardest hit area was impoverished Glasgow Carlton, where adults lost an average of £880 per year.
In affluent St Andrews, the average hit was just £180 per year.
Of course, the cumulative effect will hit the poorest communities much harder – with an average of £460 being taken out of these communities it is not only households that will struggle to make ends meet; as families make cutbacks, local shops and businesses will lose revenue and viability. If they close, then residents will have to travel further for groceries and to find work, meaning extra travel costs will remove even more much-needed cash from their budget.
For a nationwide picture, the EHRC commissioned the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and the consultancy Landman Economics to develop a way of assessing the cumulative impact of "welfare reform".
The report will be published in the summer, but Landman Economics has already told Disability News Service that the work was "not actually that difficult".
Why, then have Mark Hoban, Esther McVey and Mike Penning, the current minister for the disabled, all claimed that a cumulative assessment is impossible?
Some might say they have a vested interest in keeping the public ignorant of the true devastation being wreaked on Britain's most vulnerable people by Coalition austerity policies that will ultimately harm everybody except the very rich.
Some might say this is why the BBC – under the influence of a Conservative chairman – failed to report a mass demonstration against austerity by at least 50,000 people that started on its very doorstep.
Misguided conspiracy theorists, all!
Or are they?
Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
Vox Political needs your help!
This independent blog's only funding comes from readers' contributions.
Without YOUR help, we cannot keep going.
You can make a one-off donation here:
Alternatively, you can buy Vox Political books!
The second – Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first, Strong Words and Hard Times
is still available in either print or eBook format here:


text:
Egypt 2.0: Struggling to create a post-revolution economy. By Eman El-Shenawi
The Egyptian revolution did not make Egypt's economy falter. The country's economy was moribund even before things began to heat up in late-January 2011. In fact, lack of economic opportunity was a key driver for the mass civil unrest that eventually toppled former President Hosni Mubarak just a few weeks later.
But a revolution to make things better has made it worse.
Global banks began to voice concerns over Egypt's economic state, predicting capital flight. A weak Egyptian pound – and the subsequent boost to already high inflation – and an ailing stock market and dramatically slackened foreign investments have made Egypt even weaker than it was before the uprising.
In the Mubarak era, Egypt's economy was hampered by government intervention: namely, subsidies for food, housing, energy and bloated public sector payrolls, according to the US Department of State.
And now, in a post-Mubarak Egypt, here are the facts: Egypt has an escalating public debt of more than 80.5 percent of its gross domestic product. It is unable to make comprehensive economic reforms until a more permanent government is seated in September. Meanwhile, the country's foreign reserves have now fallen to $28 billion from $36 billion in February because it has been desperately using up its foreign currency holdings to stabilize inflation.
The reserves could be depleted within six months, a senior member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces recently warned, which could plunge Egypt further into economic mess. This could also keep investors away, bad news for a faltering economy seeking to bring in investments. The Egyptian stock market dropped 22 percent during the revolutionary protests.
"Investors are now hesitant to put money in Egypt – there is lack of knowledge about where the revolution will go next and so there is uncertainty of where the business environment will go next," says Justin Dargin, a Middle East geopolitics and energy expert at Harvard University. "Investors like to have predictability and this is one hindrance in Egypt for many investors."
Meanwhile, until now the country has not begun internal economic reconstruction. Instead, it is relying on billions of dollars of aid from the international community and taking measures to uncover corrupt businessmen who have taken their assets out the country.
"Regardless of whether they are guilty or not, they have fled from the country and taken their investments out of Egypt," thus impacting the economy, says Mr. Dargin.
The euphoria of ousting Mr. Mubarak has diminished and the hard realities of post-revolutionary life are settling in, he adds. "This may potentially spread more dissent and discord amongst Egyptians," he says. "They want rapid economic change, but … things are quite chaotic now. It is unlikely the situation will pick up within the next year."
He wants to see strong measures come from Egypt's new government, ones that suggest transparency at the governance and economic levels.
The world will not see Egypt 2.0 until all of this happens.
(Eman El-Shenawi, a writer at Al Arabiya English, can be reached at: [email protected].)


text:
In any meeting, a negotiator can adopt a variety of strategies. Typically, they horde information, pick apart their opponent's every move in hope of understanding hidden meaning, and ultimately attempt to gain the upper hand through manipulation. Sometimes you outsmart your opponent and win. Many times, you are so busy protecting yourself that a deal never happens.
There is a less common negotiation strategy that relies on going completely naked. Instead of hoarding information, you give it freely. You openly explain both your needs and what you have to offer. If the other person reciprocates with open arms, you can work together to capture amazing opportunities.
It occurs to me that many private companies play the game of business as a negotiation situation where their customers and employees are opponents that must be outsmarted. Many deals are left on the table. What would happen if they instead used the naked negotiation strategy? Imagine a company that says to their customers with conviction and honesty, "Here is what I have, and here is what I need. Let us work together to create mutual value."
The rules of an Open Kimono business
The following are simple rules of thumb that guide the behavior of a Naked company.
- Rule #1 - We are all in this together: By purchasing a company's product, a customer becomes invested in company's continued success. By working at a company, an employee also becomes invested in company's continued success. In all areas, both the customer and the employee contribute to the business and deserve to share in its success as owners.
- Rule #2 - We share information freely: Where possible, aggregate information that is shared freely within a company should be shared freely with the customers of a company. More is gained from sharing than from hoarding. We seek to build trust, empower both customers and employees, and solve problems together with the best tools possible.
- Rule #3 - We win through the creation of superior value: In competitive situations, by erring on the side of openness and honesty, we discover mutually beneficial solutions. As a result the company succeeds by being able to offer superior value compared to those companies that attempt to get ahead through trickery or manipulation of perception.
All this is lovely sentiment, but what does it mean? The following practices might vary depending on the exact company, but here is a good start.
- All major financial data is posted in an easy-to-comprehend fashion on the company web site
- All major company metrics, goals and progress towards those goals are publicly posted and constantly updated.
- Periodic customer research is performed and the results are also made available to all customers and employees.
- 5% of profits are redistributed back to existing customers. Another 5% is given to the employees. If desired, the money can be donated to a charity or reinvested in company stock.
- When problem areas are identified, customers are encouraged to contribute suggestion, time or resources to the solving of the problem.
The roots of the Naked business are quite traditional. Successful companies have been using these techniques for years.
- Public companies: Public companies are required by law to divulge certain internal information to their stock holders. The result is that dishonest behavior is not allowed to fester for long without being exposed to the light of reality. It is debatable however, if public company's slavish devotion to quarterly stockholder gain is a positive long term strategy. A Naked company that has the transparency of a public company, but is measured on pertinent long term business metrics instead of only short term financial data.
- Open Book Management: By sharing pertinent company information with employees, companies run by open book management empower everyone in the company to innovate towards a common goal. A Naked company uses the same technique to leverage not only the distributed power of their employees, but also the distributed networking power of their customers.
- Market Orientation: Companies with market orientation listen to both the needs of their customers and the trends in the market when making strategic and tactical decisions. A Naked company's close two-way communication with its customers allows it to respond effectively to the latest market information.
- Market as a community: Markets are often looked at as system in which buyers and sellers exchange value, where value is defined in financial and material terms. Yet strong emotional bonds form between buyers and sellers that can bring substantial social value to both parties. People will always seek to find meaning in their actions, yet companies often ignore this fundamental need. A Naked company provides both customers and employees with a self-contained community that encourages, nurtures, and thrives upon the creation of social value.
When I bring this concept up to people, the inevitable reaction is "What an idealistic notion. Unfortunately, the world does not work like that." It is utterly self evident that close management of information is essential to any financially successful venture. In no particular order, the following are considered to be fatal flaws in the Naked philosophy.
- Severe competitive disadvantage: The moment a company provides open information to the public, competitors will use that information to gain an advantage. Copycat tactics, preemptive product releases and attack ads that further publicize embarrassing information are all likely.
- Expensive: By spending time providing reams of information, small companies are using scarce resources ineffectively. Seeking more sales or creating a improved product will yield better results.
- Customers lack of business skills:No benefit is gained because customers lack the skills to interpret company information in any meaningful fashion.
- Public relations nightmare: Honest publication of information means that the company will be displaying warts and all to the public. There is little opportunity to spin bad news or manage your financial data.
- Customer relations nightmare: If you give customers a sense of empowerment, they will complain endlessly and publicly. This in turn leads to bad press and a loss of sales.
- No one is doing this: Few profitable companies operate in this fashion. They must have already failed.
The following are benefits of an OK company.
- Passion: Companies with a strong vision tend to outperform those that focus solely on financial results. By building a culture around a philosophy that people can wholeheartedly believe in, employees and customers will give the extra effort necessary to ensure success.
- Strong word of mouth presence: A company with a unique and appealing ideology stands out in the crowd. The fact that customers benefit from this ideology yields a powerful source of word of mouth advertising.
- The customer's network is the company's network: A customer that truly believes that they are invested in a company feels comfortable sharing their contacts and resources. At the extreme end, the customer is a believer that happily volunteers for the company. A thousand customers have a larger and potentially more powerful network than a hundred employees.
- Faster response to market change: Customers that complain or offer advice provide a highly responsive early warning system to changing needs or competitive threats.
- Many eyes catch stupid mistakes: Strategic blunders are easier to catch when you have multiple people offering unbiased commentary.
- Increased customer trust and loyalty: This in turn leads to retention and improved profits. Why go elsewhere when a company concretely demonstrates that it is deeply interested in listening to your needs?
- Increased employee trust and loyalty: This also leads to retention and improved profits. Employees are the core asset of a knowledge-based company. By keeping them, you build an experience based sustainable competitive advantage.
- One reality: The cost, both financial and psychological, of keeping multiple books, one for the public, one for the employees, and one for the investors is greatly reduced. The benefit is that customers and employees can talk the same language and use the same data to create mutually beneficial outcomes.
Let's suppose for a moment that benefits of an Open Kimono philosophy outweigh the detriments. What are the success factors that must be focused on to gain those benefits?. The follow are key implementation areas that must be addressed in order to achieve success.
- Dedicated Leadership: Any culturally driven sustainable advantage needs to have buy-in and support at the leadership level. Words alone are meaningless. Consistent public actions by respected leaders help the cultural change permeate through the entire organization.
- Customer and Employee Education: Data is useless unless the intended audience is capable of understanding it. Putting company information in format that is comprehensible to the customers and employees is a partial solution. Actively educating both customers and employees on the meaning and use of the data is equally important. If there is not an obvious connection between the data and the benefits received by the person digesting the data, then the system has failed.
- Filtering through the noise: When everyone yells their opinion, it can be hard to capture any useful information. Rigorous data collection and analysis techniques can turn the outpouring of information into actionable solutions.
A strongly customer and employee oriented company is more likely to prosper than a profits oriented company. Profits are still important, but it is wise to remember that they are one metric amongst many. By focusing on satisfying a broad range of benefits instead of merely materialistic and financial benefits, a Naked company attracts and retains both superior quantities of customers and superior quality employees.
In the end, running a Naked company is as much a personal choice as it is a business decision. Openness, honesty, community and mutual respect are concepts I can believe in. All else being equal, what type of business would you want to devote your life to?
take care
PS: With some minor changes, this was an essay I wrote many years ago. In the subsequent years, transparency has come en vogue and it now seems everyone is spouting its praises. Which is a great thing. This message needs to be broadcast as loudly as possible lest it be lost in the morass of sub-optimizers twisting the truth in the name of profits.
- Transparent CEOs: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html
- The Naked Corporation: http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Corporation-Transparency-Revolutionize-Business/dp/0743246500/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198022917&sr=8-1
- Open book management: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Book_Management


text:
A reading from the Books of Marvel.
Lo, and there were "global disturbances and cosmic radiation." The Silver Surfer rode among them. Herald of planet-destroying Galactus, the Surfer promised Apocalypse on the Eighth Day. On planet Earth, many were called, and many responded. Among them were a multitude of special effects companies, some blessed with grace and beauty, the others accursed to paint pixels only with thumbs. So too came forth the nasty U.S. government, bearing arms and not olive branches. Their form was excellent, led by the splendid Andre Braugher, known at that time as General Hager. But only the Fantastic Four—begot of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby—could, y'know, save the day.
And in the Week of Reckoning, Victor Von Doom, known at that time as Julian McMahon, rose again. Not in a way that made a lot of sense, mind you. But who are you to question the will of the Great Space Cloudy Whirlpool Galactus and his intergalactic hunting dog, the Silver Surfer? That's what I thought. It was written. Written, so it was said, by Don Payne and Mark Frost. Or perhaps not so much written as stitched. Like Frankenstein's monster. From each scribe's spare parts and by a producer without so much as a doctorate. But lo, I digress.
The Four did the will of their own master, 20th Century Fox. The Human Torch, known as Johnny Storm, known at that time as Chris Evans, took the prize for acting—truly a sign of the Apocalypse. The Human Torch began the Week of Apocalypse as a sinner, throwing an iniquitous bachelor party for Dr. Reed Richards, known as Mr. Fantastic, known as Stretch, known as Ioan Gruffud. So too did the Torch think impure thoughts, unlike his friends in committed relationships. So too did the Torch talk of marketing the Fantastic Four by selling advertising space on their costumes. And Twentieth Century Fox said that it was good.
Mr. Fantastic tried anon, as he had tried four times before, to make an honest Invisible Woman of Sue Storm, known as Johnny's brother, known at that time as Jessica Alba, known as "Hot." But the world came first and ever shall, world without end, whoops I gave away the ending. And the critics on the steps of the temple said that it was absurd, with a ratio of funny jokes to bad jokes numbering five to one, with not enough impressive action to spark the thinnest of plots, with dialogue so corny it came out intact with the waste product known as Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. That corny.
And the tale shall be told and retold at the multiplex temples. Geeks, be on alert! One among you, Brian Posehn, plays a preacher! Fans of Michael Chiklis, otherwise known as the Thing, sing to the heavens! For the beefy baldy gets out of the rocky suit a few times. Children, rejoice! For there is super-burping and super-disco-dancing! Disbelievers, stay at home! For you will scoff at dysfunctional-superhero-family issues, like the impossibility of normalcy. Have you no heart, heathens? How can the tale be an empty exercise when big things go boom and whoosh? Especially the whoosh.
Lest we forget, this is the story of the wicked-shiny Reflective One, the Silver Surfer. And oh, you better believe there shall be more! It is the story of a threatening zero who turns out to be a noble zero. Both sound a lot like Laurence Fishburne, and move with the grace of Doug Jones. And the Surfer passed through buildings and buses with a squish. And the Surfer said, "All that you know is at an end." And the world did not end, as such, but the story did, for now, with a Silver Surfer ex machina. And Stan Lee peered in from behind the velvet ropes, but he was denied. And yet he smiled. This is how the world ends, with bangs above and whimpers below. And Twentieth Century Fox said that it was good.
[For Groucho's interview with Ioan Gruffud, click here.]


text:
Forest City
Real Estate Firm Streamlines Operations
Forest City supports organization restructure with OpenText Content Suite Platform
• High volume of documentation
• Disparate silos of information
• Anytime, anywhere access to information
- OpenText Application Governance & Archiving for Microsoft SharePoint
- OpenText Content Suite
- OpenText Document Access for SAP® Solutions
• A single source of truth for enterprise content
• Seamless integration with other systems in IT infrastructure including Microsoft and SAP®
• Centralized storage and retrieval enhances collaboration
• Time-savings and increased mobility
About Forest City
Forest City Realty Trust, Inc. is an NYSE-listed national real estate company with $10.0 billion in consolidated assets. The company is principally engaged in the ownership, development, management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.forestcity.net.


text:
BAE Systems has successfully converted its 300th F-4 Phantom fighter jet into an unmanned flying drone for the U.S. Air Force. The achievement is a significant milestone in the 16-year-long QF-4 program, which provides full-scale, remotely controlled aerial targets that the Air Force uses for weapons testing and aircraft training.
The QF-4 work is conducted at BAE Systems' 123,000-square-foot hangar in Mojave, California. Approximately 100 employees provide a range of services to transform decommissioned F-4s into QF-4s, a complex process that typically takes about six months. Depending on the condition of the F-4s, the services may include systems engineering and integration; electrical, mechanical, and software engineering; and various types of structural alterations.
"Our proven performance on this program exemplifies our global capabilities to upgrade and modify aircraft," said Gordon Eldridge, vice president and general manager of Aerospace Solutions at BAE Systems. "We have been the sole provider of QF-4s for the Air Force since 1996. Congratulations to the entire Mojave team, which now has more than 35 years of combined experience and a solid track record of success."
There are 14 more QF-4s scheduled for delivery by the middle of 2013. After each conversion is complete, the aircraft is flown to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and other training sites, where it is used primarily for target practice.
In addition to the QF-4 program, BAE Systems offers military customers around the world a range of services for aircraft upgrades and modifications, including for F-16 fighters and C-130 transports. These services include state-of-the-art avionics and electronics upgrades, as well as heavy maintenance support and structural modification programs.


text:
You can set a breakpoint in any form that might be evaluated, except for atomic and constant forms. The breakpoint can be at the start, function call or return point of the form.
When not at the current stepping position, a breakpoint is highlighted red in the Stepper source area. When the same source code is also visible in an Editor tool, the breakpoint is visible there too.


text:
Thinking about spring break in the Caribbean?
Brian Hegarty of Travel Leaders Network says each Caribbean island offers a different vibe, from relaxing on the beach to adventures, shopping and dining. All-inclusive resorts "take the worry out of figuring out where to go for every meal and watching your budget. There are also some small luxury properties that really cater to the affluent traveler looking for a more curated local experience."
Hopper.com says the most popular Caribbean destinations for spring break are Montego Bay, Jamaica ($479 round-trip); Santo Domingo ($500 round-trip) and Punta Cana ($569 round-trip) in the Dominican Republic; Nassau ($612 round-trip) in the Bahamas, and Oranjestad, Aruba ($567 round-trip).
Dan Marmontello at CheapCaribbean.com says "there are still deals to be had on nearly every island, but Aruba, Curacao, and Grand Cayman are filling up the quickest," while destinations like Turks and Caicos, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, Antigua, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic "generally have more rooms available last minute" and "potentially lower pricing for a spring getaway."
In the Bahamas, Baha Mar, a new resort complex in Nassau, includes the SLS Baha Mar and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar hotels, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, the Caribbean's largest casino and an ESPA spa. Atlantis Paradise Island completed a redesign of The Cove, a 600-suite hotel. And bloggers are raving about "glamping" in solar-powered tents at the Other Side on Eleuthera.
Barbados has "Sugar & Rum Season" events through April 15, including tours, parties and cooking classes.
The Cayman Islands' Batabano festival, May 2-6, includes a charitable masquerade-themed dinner dance at the Pedro St. James castle and a street parade.
On Turks and Caicos, guests of The Somerset on Grace Bay can borrow a bike and pedal to Potcake Place for a puppy playdate.
A new online platform from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors offers an island-by-island guide to sightseeing, dive shops and "liveaboards" — when you spend a night or more on a boat.
A handful of islands were hit hard by hurricanes, including Puerto Rico, St. Bart's, St. Martin, Anguilla, Dominica and the Virgin Islands. Cruise ships have returned to all ports, and several Princess cruises are offering passengers voluntourism opportunities to help recovery efforts.
Some hotels damaged by storms are still renovating. Others have reopened. Before you book, ask about conditions, beach erosion, debris and construction noise. Travel Weekly has been providing updates.
Fort Young Hotel, Dominica's largest hotel, partially reopened in January and is offering a "voluntourism package" that starts at $837 for five nights, double occupancy, including ground transportation to and from airports, breakfast and an island tour. The voluntourism involves helping to clear debris on a segment of the Waitukubuli National Trail. Dominica is known for its wild, rugged landscape of mountains and rainforests.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, many hotels are operating normally, though some like the Caribe Hilton are still undergoing repairs. San Juan Marriott marketing manager Joaquin Cruz says his hotel's beachfront property is fine, and the neighborhood where it's located, Condado, is "buzzing with nightlife, restaurants, bars and shops." It's located 10 minutes from Old San Juan by cab, but guests can also borrow bikes from the hotel and follow a bike path there. One of the hotel's two towers is closed for repairs from water damage, but Cruz said the work in that tower is "invisible to guests" in the open tower. Rates start at $289 with breakfast for two.
Fareness.com says average round-trip flights from the U.S. mainland to San Juan between March 24 and April 29 run $367.
St. Barth Properties reports that more than half of its villas on St. Bart's are ready for guests. Zemi Beach House, a luxury boutique hotel on Anguilla's east end, reopened Feb. 15. And on Nevis, you can join the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club's general manager on a 5-mile hike or visit Alexander Hamilton's home and Mount Nevis.
On the British Virgin Islands' Anegada, some properties are offering four nights for the price of three if you book by Feb. 28 for a stay through April 15.
On St. Martin, Rainforest Adventures Rockland Estate just opened the world's steepest zip line. A second zip line will open soon, along with Schooner Ride, an inner tube ride down a mountain track.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, many hotels on St. Thomas and St. John are still recovering, though a number of restaurants and shops have reopened. At Magens Bay, St. Thomas' most visited beach, hundreds of new trees were planted, and all beaches and trails at St. John's Virgin Islands National Park have reopened. V.I. Carnival on St. Thomas is March 31-April 28. On St. Croix, which experienced less storm damage, lodging ranges from the family-friendly Buccaneer resort to a new boutique hotel, The Fred, in downtown Frederiksted. The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience is April 5-7.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.


text:
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 6, 2004
President's Remarks at a Victory 2004 Rally in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Oakland Community College-Orchard Ridge Campus
Farmington Hills, Michigan
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. (Applause.) You know what I think, Bill -- I think that with the help of these good folks here, we'll carry Michigan; we'll win a great victory in November. And I'll be there in the White House when you come back. (Applause.)
I appreciate you coming. Thanks for coming today. We're coming down the stretch. I'm here to ask for your vote, and I'm here to ask for your help. (Applause.) When you register your friends and neighbors, make sure you don't overlook discerning Democrats, people like Zell Miller. (Applause.) Get people headed to the polls, and remind them, if they want a safer America, a stronger America, and a better America, to put me and Dick Cheney back in office. (Applause.)
Speaking about the Vice President, I'm sure some of you stayed up to watch the debate last night. (Applause.) America saw two different visions of our country, and two different hair styles. (Laughter.) America saw why I picked Dick Cheney to be the Vice President. He's strong, he's steady, he knows what he's talking about. (Applause.)
Laura sends her best. (Applause.) She's warming up for the Jay Leno show. He's lucky to have her as a guest, and I'm lucky to have her as a wife. (Applause.) She is a great First Lady. Perhaps the most important reason to put me back into office, so that Laura will be the First Lady for four more years. (Applause.)
I appreciate Bill Laimbeer for being here. I also want to thank another great leader and sports figure of your great state, Bo Schembechler is with us today, as well. (Applause.) I appreciate you bringing Cathryn. I also want to thank the Attorney General, Mike Cox. (Applause.) Longtime friend, Brooks Patterson is with us today. (Applause.) I thank Ruth Johnson and other state and local officials. I want to thank Betsy DeVos, and all the grassroots activists who are here. I appreciate what you're doing. (Applause.) I appreciate the hard work you're doing. (Applause.)
I want to thank Mary Spangler, the Chancellor of the Oakland Community College; and Ed Callaghan, who's the President. Thank you all for having me. I want to thank my friend, Mark Wills, country/western singer, for being here. (Applause.) Most of all, thank you all for being here. (Applause.)
In less than a month you'll have a chance to vote for Dick Cheney and me. As your President, I've worked to make America more hopeful and more secure. I've led our country with principle and resolve, and that is how I'll lead our nation for four more years. (Applause.)
When I took office in 2001, the bubble of the '90s had burst and our economy was headed into a recession. Because of the attacks of September the 11th, nearly a million jobs were lost in three months. It was a dangerous time for our economy. People were warning of potential deflation and depression. And I led. To stimulate the economy, I called on Congress to pass historic tax relief -- which it did. (Applause.) The tax relief was the fuel that got our economy growing again. Thanks to the efforts of our citizens and the right policies at the right place at the right time, we put the recession behind us, and America is creating jobs again. (Applause.)
We have built a broad and solid record of accomplishment. In the past year, the United States of America has added about 1.7 million new jobs -- more than Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Canada and France combined. (Applause.) Real tax -- real after-tax income, the money in your pocket you have to spend on groceries and house payments and rent, is up more than 10 percent since I took office. Home ownership is at an all-time high in America. (Applause.) The farm economy is strong. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. The small business sector of America is doing well. (Applause.)
Thanks to our reforms in education, math and reading scores are increasing in our public schools. Under my budget, 10 million students will get record levels of grants and loans to help with college. (Applause.) Low-income seniors are getting $600 extra to help pay for medicine this year, and soon Medicare will offer prescription drug coverage to every senior in America. (Applause.) We've made America stronger, and we're just getting started. (Applause.)
Listen, I understand we're living in changing times -- people are living and working in a time of change. Workers switch jobs more often than they used to, which means they need -- oftentimes, need new schools and new benefits that they can take with them from job to job. Ultimately, in our competitive global economy, it's our people that make America successful. And that's why I believe education is so vital. (Applause.)
So we'll raise standards and expectations for every public school in America. We'll invest in our nation's fine community colleges, like this one right here, so they prepare workers for the jobs of the 21st century. We'll expand health savings accounts so people can pay health expenses with tax-free money. We'll improve Social Security to allow younger workers to own a piece of their retirement, a nest egg that Washington, D.C. politicians can never take away. (Applause.)
To keep our economy strong and competitive, we must make sure America is the best place in the world to do business. (Applause.) That's why we need to make our tax relief permanent for our small businesses and our families. (Applause.) To keep jobs here, we need to cut needless regulations. To keep jobs here, we need to pass an energy plan that makes our nation less dependent on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.) To make sure we got jobs here, we need to stop these junk and frivolous lawsuits that badger our employers. (Applause.)
My opponent and I have a very different view as how to grow our economy. We have a difference of opinion. Let's start with taxes. I have a record of reducing them. He has a record of raising them.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: He voted in the United States Senate to raise taxes 98 times.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: That sounds like a lot to me. He voted for higher taxes on Social Security benefits.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: He voted in 1997 for the formula that has helped cause the increases in Medicare premiums.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: And when I proposed middle class tax relief in order to get this economy going, I asked Congress to raise the child credit, reduce the marriage penalty and create a new 10 percent bracket for lower-income Americans -- he voted against every one of those taxes to help the middle class.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: Now he's proposing higher taxes -- higher taxes on about 900,000 small business owners.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: When you hear him say, tax the rich, a lot of small businesses pay individual income taxes. As a matter of fact, 90 percent of small businesses do. And we've heard that rhetoric, haven't we, tax the rich? That's why the rich hire lawyers and accountants, to stick you with the bill, to stick those small business owners with the bill. We're not going to let him tax you. We're going to win Michigan and win in November. (Applause.)
My opponent is one of the few candidates in history to campaign on a pledge to raise taxes. That's the kind of pledge a politician from Massachusetts usually keeps. (Laughter.)
We have a different view on another threat to our economy: frivolous lawsuits. Senator Kerry has been a part of the Washington crowd that has obstructed legal reform again and again. Meanwhile, all across America, unfair lawsuits are hurting small businesses. Lawsuits are driving up the cost of your health care. Lawsuits are driving good doctors out of the practice of medicine. We need a President who will stand up to the trial lawyers in Washington, not put one on the ticket. (Applause.)
The Senator and I have very different views on health care. I believe we ought to help the poor with community health centers. We ought to fully subscribe to the children's health program for low-income families. We need association health plans to help our small businesses afford insurance. We need health savings accounts to help our workers and small businesses be able to better afford insurance. We need to make sure we use technology to help drive down the cost of medicine. He has a different view. Under his health plan, 8 million Americans would lose the private insurance they get at work, and most would end up on a government program. Under his plan, 8 out of 10 people who get new insurance will get it from the federal government. My opponent's proposal would be the largest expansion of government-run health care ever. And when government pays the bills, government makes the rules. His plan would put bureaucrats in charge of dictating coverage, which could ration your care and limit your choice of doctors. My opponent's plan would put us on the path to "Hillary-care."
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: In everything we do to reform health care, we will make sure the decisions are made by patients and doctors, not by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
My opponent and I have different views on spending -- spending your money. Over the years he's voted 274 times to break federal budget limits. In this campaign he's announced more than $2 trillion in new spending. And that's a lot of money, even for somebody from Massachusetts. (Applause.)
During his 20 years as a senator, my opponent hasn't had many accomplishments. Of the hundreds of bills he submitted, only five became law. One of them was ceremonial. But to be fair, he's earned a special distinction in Congress. The nonpartisan National Journal analyzed his record and named John Kerry the most liberal member of the United States Senate.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: And when the competition includes Ted Kennedy, that's really saying something. Listen, it wasn't easy for my opponent to become the single most liberal member of the Senate. You might even say it was hard work. (Laughter.) But he earned that title. He earned it by voting for higher taxes, more regulation, more junk lawsuits, and more government control over your life.
And that sets up one of the real differences in this campaign. My opponent is a tax-and-spend liberal; I'm a compassionate conservative. (Applause.) My opponent wants to empower government; I want to use government to empower citizens. (Applause.) My opponent seems to think all the wisdom is found in Washington, D.C.; I trust the wisdom of the American people. (Applause.)
Our differences are also clear on issues of national security. When I took office in 2001, the threats to America had been gathering for years. And on one terrible morning, terrorists took more lives than America lost at Pearl Harbor. Since that day we've waged a global campaign to protect the American people and bring our enemies to account. Our government has trained over half a million first responders and tripled spending on homeland security. Law enforcement and intelligence have better tools to stop terrorists, thanks to the Patriot Act, that Senator Kerry voted for, but now wants to weaken. The Taliban regime that sheltered al Qaeda is gone from power, and the people of Afghanistan will vote in free elections this coming Saturday. (Applause.)
A black market network that provided weapons materials to North Korea and Libya and Iran is now out of business. (Applause.) Libya, itself, has given up its weapons of mass destruction. (Applause.) Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are joining the fight against the terrorists. And more than three-quarters of al Qaeda's key members and associates have been brought to justice. (Applause.)
After September the 11th, America had to assess every potential threat in a new light. Our nation awakened to an even greater danger, the prospect that terrorists who killed thousands with hijacked airplanes would kill many more with weapons of mass murder. We had to take a hard look at everyplace terrorists might get those weapons.
One regime stood out: the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. We knew the dictator had a history of using weapons of mass destruction, a long record of aggression and hatred for America, and was listed by Republican and Democrat administrations as a state sponsor of terror. There was a risk Saddam Hussein would pass weapons or materials or information to terrorists networks. In a world after September the 11th that was a risk we could not afford to take. (Applause.)
After 12 years -- after 12 years of United Nations Security Council resolutions, we gave him a final chance to come clean and prove his disarmament. He chose defiance. And when he did, he chose war. Our coalitions enforced the just demands of the free world, and the world is better off today with Saddam Hussein in a prison cell. (Applause.)
We have had -- we have had many victories in the war on terror. And that war goes on. Our nation is safer, but not yet safe. To win this war we must fight on every front. We will stay on the offensive against terrorist networks. We will strike them overseas so we do not have to face them here at home. (Applause.) We will confront governments that support terrorists and could arm them, because they're equally guilty of terrorist murder.
And our long-term victory requires confronting the ideology of hate with freedom and hope. Our long-term victory requires we must change the conditions that produce radicalism and suicide bombers. Our long-term security depends upon finding new democratic allies in a troubled region of the world.
America is always more secure when freedom is on the march. (Applause.) And freedom is on the march -- in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and elsewhere. There will be good days and there will be bad days in the war on terror. But every day we will show our resolve and do our duty to future generations of Americans. (Applause.) This nation is determined. We will stay in the fight until the fight is won. (Applause.)
My opponent agrees with all this -- except when he doesn't. (Laughter.) Last week in --
AUDIENCE: Flip-flop! Flip-flop! Flip-flop!
THE PRESIDENT: Last week in our debate, he once again came down firmly on every side of the Iraq war. (Laughter.) He stated that Saddam Hussein was a threat, and that America had no business removing that threat. Senator Kerry said our soldiers and Marines are not fighting for a mistake; he also called the liberation of Iraq a colossal error.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: He said we need to do more to train Iraqis. But also said we shouldn't be spending so much money over there. He said he wants to hold a summit meeting so he wants -- so he can invite other countries to join what he calls the "wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time." He said terrorists are pouring across the Iraqi border, but also said that fighting those terrorists is a diversion from the war on terror. If you hear all that you can understand why somebody would make a face. (Laughter and applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: My opponent -- my opponent's endless back-and-forth on Iraq is part of a larger misunderstanding. In the war on terror, Senator Kerry is proposing policies and doctrines that would weaken America and make the world more dangerous. Senator Kerry approaches the world with a September the 10th mind-set. He declared in his convention speech that any attack will be met with a swift and a certain response. This was a mind-set of the 1990s, while al Qaeda was planning attacks on America. After September the 11th, our object in the war on terror is not to wait for the next attack and respond, but to prevent attacks by taking the fight to the enemy. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: In our debate -- in our debate, Senator Kerry said that removing Saddam was a mistake because the threat was not imminent. The problem with this approach is obvious: If America waits until a threat is at our doorstep, it might be too late to save lives. Tyrants and terrorists will not give us polite notice before they launch an attack on our country. I refuse to stand by while dangers gather. (Applause.)
My opponent has also announced the Kerry doctrine, declaring that American actions in the war on terror must pass a global test.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: Under this test, America would not be able to act quickly against threats because we'd be sitting around waiting for our grade from other nations. I have a different view. America will always work with our allies for security and peace, but the President's job is not to pass a global test, the President's job is to protect the American people. (Applause.)
When my opponent first ran for Congress, he argued that American troops should be deployed only at the directive of the United Nations.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: Look, he has changed his mind, but it is a window into his thinking. Over the years, Senator Kerry has looked for every excuse to restrain America's actions in the world. He says he praises America's broad coalition in the Persian Gulf War, but in 1991, he criticized those coalition members as -- quote -- "shallow battlefield allies who barely carry a burden." Sounds familiar. That time, he voted against the war. If that coalition didn't pass his global test, clearly nothing will. His mind-set would paralyze America in a dangerous world. I will never hand over America's national security decisions to foreign leaders or international bodies. (Applause.)
The Kerry doctrine has other consequences, especially for our men and women in uniform. The Senator from Massachusetts supports the International Criminal Court --
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: -- which would allow unaccountable foreign prosecutors and judges to put American soldiers on trial.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: And that would be a legal nightmare for our troops. My fellow citizens, as long as I'm your President, Americans in uniform will answer to the officers and laws of the United States, not to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. (Applause.)
The Senator speaks often about his plan to strengthen America's alliances, but he's got an odd way of going about it. In the middle of the war he's chosen to insult America's fighting allies by calling them "window dressing" and a "coalition of the coerced and the bribed." The Italians who died in Nasiriyah were not window dressing. They were heroes in the war on terror. (Applause.) The British and Poles at the head of multinational divisions in Iraq were not coerced or bribed. They have fought, and some have died, in the cause of freedom. (Applause.) These good allies and dozens of others deserve the respect of all Americans, not the scorn of a politician. (Applause.)
Instead, the Senator would have America bend over backwards to satisfy a handful of governments with agendas different from our own. This is my opponent's alliance-building strategy -- brush off your best friend, fawn over your critics. That's no way to gain respect in this world. (Applause.)
My opponent says he has a plan for Iraq. Parts of it sound pretty familiar. It's already known as the Bush plan. (Applause.) Senator Kerry suggests we train Iraqi troops. That's what we've been doing for months. Senator Kerry is proposing that Iraq have elections. Those elections are scheduled for January. (Applause.) He wants the U.N. to be involved in those elections. The U.N. is already there. There's one new element of Senator Kerry's plan; he talked about artificial timetables to pull the troops out of Iraq. He has send the signal that America's overriding goal in Iraq would be to leave, even if the job isn't done. That may satisfy his political needs, but it complicates the essential work we're doing in Iraq.
The Iraqi people need to know that America will not cut and run with their freedom at stake. (Applause.) Our soldiers and Marines need to know that America will honor their service and sacrifice by completing the mission. (Applause.) Our enemies in Iraq need to know that they can never outlast the will of America. (Applause.) Senator Kerry assures us that he's the one to win a war he calls a mistake, or an error, and a diversion. But you can't win a war you don't believe in fighting. (Applause.) On Iraq, Senator Kerry has a strategy of retreat; I have a strategy for victory. (Applause.)
We returned sovereignty to the Iraqi people ahead of schedule. We've trained about 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, police officers and other security personnel. And the total will rise to 125,000 by the end of this year. These people are fighting for their freedom. They want to be free -- they're being trained to be able to fight and stop these terrorists -- (inaudible) -- defending the march of freedom. We've allocated more than $7 billion for reconstruction efforts so more Iraqis can see the benefit of freedom. We're working with a coalition of some 30 nations to provide security. Other nations are helping with debt relief and reconstruction aid for Iraqis. And although terrorists will try to stop them, Iraq will hold free elections in January -- because the Iraqi people want to be free. (Applause.)
I understand some Americans have strong concerns about our role in Iraq. I respect the fact that they take this issue seriously. It's a serious matter. I assure them we're in Iraq because I deeply believe it is necessary and right and critical to the outcome of the war on terror, and critical for long-term peace for our children and grandchildren. (Applause.)
If another terror regime were allowed to emerge in Iraq, the terrorists would find a home and a source of funding and a source of support, and they would correctly conclude that free nations do not have the will to defend themselves. If Iraq becomes a free society at the heart of the Middle East, an ally in the war on terror, a model for hopeful reform in that region, the terrorists will suffer a crushing defeat. (Applause.) And that is why Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman calls Iraq "a crucial battle in the global war on terrorism." And that is why Prime Minister Tony Blair has called the struggle in Iraq "the crucible in which the future of global terrorism will be determined." That is why the terrorists are fighting with desperate cruelty -- they know their future is at stake. Iraq is no diversion. It's a place where civilization is taking a decisive stand against chaos and terror, and we must not waver. (Applause.)
Unfortunately, my opponent has been known to waver. His well-chosen words and rationalizations cannot explain why he voted to authorize force against Saddam Hussein, and then voted against money for bullets and vehicles and body armor for the troops on the ground.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: He tried to clear it up by saying, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it." Now he says he made a mistake in how he talked about that vote. The mistake is not what Senator Kerry said; the mistake is what Senator Kerry did in voting against funding for our troops in combat. (Applause.) And that is the kind of wavering a nation at war cannot afford.
-- candidate, my opponent promises to defend America. The problem is, as a Senator for two decades, he has built a record of weakness. The record shows he twice led efforts to gut our intelligence service budget. The record shows he voted against many of the weapons that won the Cold War and are vital to current military operations. And the record shows he has voted more than 50 times against missile defense systems that would help protect us from the threats of a dangerous world.
I have a record in office, as well, and all Americans have seen that record. (Applause.) Not all Americans agree with me, but they know where I stand. (Applause.) On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. It's a day I will never forget. There were workers in hard hats yelling to me at the top of their lungs, "Whatever it takes." A guy grabbed me by the arm, he said, "Do not let me down." Ever since that day I wake up every morning thinking about how to better protect our country. I've acted again and again to make America safe. I will never relent in defending the people of this country, whatever it takes. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Twenty-seven days from today, Americans will make a critical choice. My opponent offers an agenda that is stuck in the thinking and policies of the past. On national security, he offers the defensive, reactive mind-set of September the 10th -- a global test to replace American leadership; a strategy of retreat in Iraq, and a 20-year history of weakness. Here at home, he offers a record and an agenda of more taxes and more spending and more litigation, and more government control over your life.
The race for President is a contest for the future -- and you know where I stand. (Applause.) I'm running for President to keep this nation on the offensive against the terrorists with the goal of total victory. I'm running for President to keep this economy moving so every worker has a good job and quality health care, a secure retirement. I'm running for President to make our strong nation a more compassionate society, where no one is left out and every life is valued. (Applause.)
And I have a hopeful vision. I believe this young century will be liberty's century. (Applause.) We'll promote liberty abroad to protect our country and to build a better world beyond the war on terror. We'll encourage liberty at home to spread the prosperity and opportunity to every corner of this great land. I will carry this message to my fellow citizens in the closing days of this campaign. And with your help, we'll carry Michigan and win a great victory in November.
Thank you all for coming. (Applause.) God bless. (Applause.) Thank you all.


text:
Barely one week after a blockbuster Washington Post investigation revealed that the Pentagon had suppressed a report identifying $125 billion in wasteful spending, Congress has passed the new National Defense Authorization Act, directing a fresh $619 billion to the Department of Defense. The bill, which sailed through both Houses of Congress with large, veto-proof majorities after having some controversial elements removed, now heads to President Obama's desk.
Covering military expenditures through the beginning of the first term of President-elect Donald Trump, the bill looks like a down payment on his promise to increase the size and capabilities of the military. The bill rolls back planned troops reductions, increasing the Army's end strength by 16,000 troops and the Marine Corps by 3,000. It also provides a 2.1 percent pay raise for members of the armed forces effective January 1.
Related: Trump Blows the Whistle on Boeing's $3.2 Billion Air Force One Contract
The bill also bars the Defense Department from closing any military bases, despite the fact that the leadership in the Pentagon has told lawmakers that it has excess capacity.
The $619 billion figure represents a $3.2 billion increase in spending that is not matched by a similar increase in non-defense spending, something that recent budget compromises between President Obama and Republicans in Congress have typically required under the Budget Control Act of 2011. Congress will still be required to pass an appropriations bill detailing the way the Pentagon will be directed to spend much of the money the NDAA allocates.
The total price tag for national defense is only expected to rise in 2017. Lawmakers left funding for some major programs out of the proposal, including multiple upgrades to the Navy's fleet and the purchase of dozens of the troubled F-35 fighter jet to keep the headline number down. Rep. Mac Thornberry, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that he hopes the Trump administration will request even more defense funding once the new administration takes office.
That request appears to be a foregone conclusion, as Vice President Mike Pence said this week that the Trump administration will submit a request for supplemental defense spending within the first 100 days of taking office.
Related: Trump May Give the US Marines a 12,000-Troop Bump
In what appears to be a nod to the inclinations of the Trump administration, the bill includes a recommendation that the U.S. implement a high-level officer exchange program with the Taiwanese military. It's a move that China, which views the island nation as a breakaway province, will view as provocative if it is implemented.
However, Trump has already shown a willingness to poke at Beijing, having taken the controversial step of speaking on the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after his election. As part of the country's "One-China" policy, no U.S. president had spoken to the leader of Taiwan since 1979.
The NDAA does make some nods toward cost reductions. It requires the Pentagon to trim the ranks of active duty generals and admirals by 110 and includes a study intended to identify another 10 percent reduction.
The bill also targets Pentagon acquisitions for reform by splitting the duties of the Defense Department's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics between two posts: the undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, and the new job of undersecretary for research and engineering.
Related: Obama Sends Trump a Message on the Use of Military Force
None of these steps, though, addresses the fact that the Pentagon's vast bureaucracy has never been successfully audited. Last summer, for example, an examination of the finances of the U.S. Army alone found misstatements and errors than ran into the trillions of dollars. A push by Congress to force the Pentagon into "audit readiness" by the end of fiscal year 2017 is widely regarded as doomed to failure.
The bill was able to pass both Houses of Congress by a wide margin after several controversial measures were removed. Among them were a proposal to allow defense contractors to exercise their "religious freedom" by discriminating against employees on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. Another measure would have required women to register for the draft.


text:
In February, Michael Sam became one of the most talked about sports figures in the country when he announced his intention to become the first openly gay player in NFL history.
How to watch the NFL draft
With the 2014 NFL Draft fast approaching, find out how to catch all the action from Radio City Music Hall on NFL Network. **More ...**
The Missouri linebacker has slipped into the background as the 2014 NFL Draft has gotten closer. According to Bob McGinn of the the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that has everything to do with the reality that Sam is a marginal NFL prospect.
"The reason you don't hear much about Sam anymore a few days before the draft is this is the time for real players," McGinn wrote Sunday. "Based on discussions over the last month about Sam's capability as a player with about two dozen NFL executives in personnel, he's regarded almost as a non-entity."
Strong words from McGinn, who polled 21 scouts with national responsibilities. Three said Sam was a fifth-round talent. Three said sixth round. Three said seventh round, and five said they would sign him as a free agent. Seven scouts said they wouldn't sign him at all.
The issue for Sam comes down to size and speed. He's undersized (6-foot-2 and 262 pounds) for the defensive end/outside linebacker positions and not fast enough to excel in coverage. Sam struggled at the NFL Scouting Combine, though he did manage to improve on measurables at his pro day.
"He's not a linebacker, and he's really not a defensive end," an NFC personnel director said. "I'd certainly take him to camp. You've got to admire how hard he plays."
Added an AFC executive: "It's a tough fit when you're short and slow and a try-hard overachiever. That's the issue."
If Sam does come off the board, expect it to happen Saturday when rounds four through seven are selected. It sounds like a very real possibility we don't hear his name called at all.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" breaks down draft news and rumors and plays the popular prediction game, "Go Get My Lunch!"


text:
Several playoff contenders turned in less-than-impressive performances in Week 14, including the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears. Late-season struggles usually portend bad things in the postseason (if some of these teams even get that far). Which team do you feel most confident will be one-and-done in the playoffs?
It's unbelievable, but the worst-looking team on that list, in my mind, is the one with the best record. The Falcons have all sorts of gaudy numbers, with an offense that can score from anywhere. But it was very troubling to see Mike Smith's bunch get drubbed by the lowly Carolina Panthers. The Falcons can't run the ball, and they couldn't stop the run on Sunday. Atlanta let Carolina talk trash and then back it up on the field with an upset win.
It does bode well for the Falcons that they'll likely start the playoffs in the Georgia Dome. But if they face a hard-nosed team like the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears or New York Giants, will they wilt? Atlanta's players have admitted they won't get respect until they win in the playoffs. They are correct, but my confidence in them isn't high.
I don't think the Bears will make the playoffs at all, so they aren't a candidate to be one-and-done. That leaves me with the Falcons. It's not about the loss in Carolina. It's about all the lucky, last-minute wins against sub-par competition. It's about a roster that has overachieved, but is stuck in a very deep conference. Atlanta is good at a lot of things, but not great at anything.
The Falcons would be better off with a home game in the wild-card round, just to get the playoff monkey off their back, because the competition will be too good in the divisional round.
I think it will be the Colts. They are not going to win the AFC South, so they will have to go on the road in the postseason. They probably will have to travel to play the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots or Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs. As good as Andrew Luck has been this year, he has not been as good on the road, with 13 of his 18 interceptions coming away from Lucas Oil Stadium. (Not to mention the Colts' 3-3 road record, as opposed to their 6-1 mark at home.) The Colts have played two playoff-caliber teams on the road: Chicago and New England. They lost to the Bears by 20 and the Patriots by 35.
I don't think Indianapolis' defense will be able to contain the offense of Denver, New England or Baltimore. So the Colts' magical season will end at "one and done."
There are so many factors that determine who will be one-and-done. The way the Bears are playing right now, they are an easy target. Ditto the Falcons, whom so many in our business feel will be home for one playoff game and then home for a good camping trip. I'm not spinning any yarn against the Seahawks or Colts, who seem to surpass expectations and challenges on a weekly basis. In fact, I anticipate the latter will play at Baltimore in the opening round, which would have the Steelers travelling to the same city in which their postseason dreams were laid to rest back in January ...
Thus, my sense is that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the first team down, not because of Ben Roethlisberger's health or Batch-y ball, but because of the prospect of facing Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas and a quality Denver defense at their place. The Steelers' offensive line is not an organizational strength to say the least, while the Broncos' edge rushers have played very well. In fact, Denver's secondary probably hasn't received enough credit for how well it has played. Basically, I see the Black & Gold going to Denver and coming up empty.
I'm actually going with the wild-card team that looks like the biggest lock for the postseason: Indianapolis. As good as the Colts have been, they'll have to travel for their first game, likely to Denver, Baltimore or New England. They're not winning in any of those places. Look, they're a great story and they're fun and exciting, but realistically, who can they beat in the first round?
Playoff football is different. As good as Andrew Luck is, he and the Colts will greatly benefit from a brief postseason experience. It's something every young team needs to go through: losing so you can learn how to win.
Schein: Why Ponder will succeed
Christian Ponder has had a rocky first two seasons, but Adam Schein believes the Vikes QB can win -- and he's not alone. **More ...**


text:
To build a preview, an image of 400х400 pixels is taken, so the image quality may be worse than the original.
Hold down the CTRL key for the zoom of a mouse wheel.
The download on the website has been fixed. As compensation, we have added 30 days to your plan's expiration date. Feedback - [email protected]
Width: | 1000 px |
Height: | 1000 px |
Size: | 0.60 Mb |